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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Minerals Police Protection Unit (MPPU) has got new commanders following a reshuffle by the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Paul Lokech. According to the new changes, Maj Gen Lokech has appointed Superintendent of Police Agnes Apolot as the deputy MPPU overall commander.
SP Robert Ssenyondo replaced SP Jessica Keigomba who was sent on refresher training. Apolot has been serving under the Child and Family Protection Unit – CFPU. ASP Patience Mboneko has been moved from Kabalagala to MPPU head office as OC CID while ASP Barnabas Banyenzaki has moved from Savannah to command the MPPU Kigezi zonal office.
ASP Leonard Munobe has been moved from Swam border police station in Bukwo to MPPU Kigezi zonal office as the deputy commander, ASP Norah Mirembe from OC Mbarara police station to MPPU central region as commandant while ASP Wilfred Waigo has been transferred from Gulu Field Force Unit – FFU detach to MPPU Ankole as deputy commander.
SP Sarah Mwesigwa has been removed from MPPU to Lwengo as District Police Commander – DPC, SP Abbey Caleb Tashobya has been removed from MPPU to Criminal Investigations Directorate – CID headquarters at Kibuli, Assistant Superintendent of Police – ASP Elvis Mugwisagye has been moved from Kigezi MPPU zonal office and taken to Savannah as Regional Human Resource Officer.
Others are ASP Shakinah Birungi who has moved from the MPPU headquarters to Mbarara Police Station as Office In charge- OC and ASP Nathan Aryampa from MPPU Ankole zonal office to Swam border police station in Bukwo district as OC. According to police sources, the changes come amidst numerous complaints received by the police headquarters against Mineral Police Protection Unit – MPPU.
The sources also told URN that some of the commanders resisted SP Ssenyondo when he was appointed to replace SP Keigomba when she was called to the refresher training. They reportedly locked him outside the office, saying that the position was ring-fenced for her and that she would repossess the office after training.
After being frustrated by the Entebbe based MPPU officers, SP Ssenyondo reported back to the police human resource director AIGP Jesse Kamunanwire. Kamunanwire reportedly made phone calls to the commanders asking them not to antagonize SP Ssenyondo in vain.
Sources at Naguru police headquarters indicate that Maj. Gen Jack Bakasumba, who is also Police Chief of Joint Staff –CJS drove to Entebbe and confronted the officers who had made it impossible for SP Ssenyondo to occupy the office. “When CJS returned from Entebbe, he presented the matter in PAC which was chaired by DIGP [Lokech]. The directors resolved to overhaul MPPU top command,” the source said.
With SP Keigomba in charge, MPPU was often making headlines for allegedly protecting illegal miners. Late last year, Sarah Opendi, who was then State Minister for Minerals aired her reservation about the conduct of the mineral force. This forced MPs to present a list showing that almost all top MPPU commanders were from one part of the country.
In February this year, Joseph Ssewungu, the Kalungu West MP pitted legislators against then Internal Affairs Minister Gen Jeje Odongo, for establishing the MPPU command, which MPs said was not reflecting diversity.
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